


An Officer and a Gentleman

by love2hulksmash



Category: Hawaii Five-0 (2010)
Genre: Feelings Realization, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Pretending to Be Gay, Uniform Kink, When Pretending Turns Real, slight angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-03-20
Updated: 2018-03-27
Packaged: 2019-04-05 07:23:52
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 10,728
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14039136
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/love2hulksmash/pseuds/love2hulksmash
Summary: Danny's been invited to dinner with Rachel and Stan. What happens when he and Steve pretend to be a couple?





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

  * Translation into Español available: [An Officer and a Gentleman (Traducción)](https://archiveofourown.org/works/15275907) by [Igni1LB](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Igni1LB/pseuds/Igni1LB)



> The most massive of MASSIVE shoutouts to BxBori1981 for being my Danny Beta. Honestly a lot of things in this story couldn't happen without her input. I can write Steve in my sleep. Writing Danny is...interesting, to say the least. :)

Danny groaned pitifully as he slammed his cell phone down on his desk, feeling the very beginnings of a mild panic attack trying to clamber its way out of his chest. His lovely ex-wife had just called to extend a dinner invitation via her new husband, casually dropping that it was one of the most expensive restaurants on the entire island. As if Danny wasn’t struggling enough as it was just to make his monthly child support payments and still keep his fridge reasonably stocked.

 

Rachel decided he could apparently shell out the extra funds for a 5-star meal, courtesy of “darling” Stan’s business connections. Nevermind that Stan had wanted to give Danny a chance to get to know him better, and had offered to pay for the meal, Danny was now supposed to bring a fucking date.

 

“I barely have time to sleep, and they think I’m out here dating?!” he grumbled before groaning and rubbing his fingers roughly over his eyes, “Just call the psycho back and cancel, it’s not worth the fuckin’ aggravation. Not like I even _know_ anybody who’d impress--.”

 

“Hey, Danno, come on, Kono’s got somethin’ for us on that missin’… Hey, man, you alright?” Steve spoke from the doorway, halfway in the office before the blonde had even looked up. Danny casually let his eyes sweep over Steve’s form as an idea slammed into his brain faster than he could stop it. It was insane, hands down the craziest thing he’d ever thought since coming to this damned island, and he’d thought a lot of crazy shit lately…namely how attractive Steve was when he wasn’t actively trying to kill the blonde with his SuperSEAL antics on the job.

 

“Danny!” Steve called out loudly, his brows furrowing at the look on his coworker’s face. It was like Danny was fighting an internal battle, convincing himself that whatever the hell was going through his brain wasn’t worth verbalizing, and Steve would _maybe_ go away before his tenuous brain-to-mouth filter actually broke. With an overly dramatic sigh and an even more dramatic roll of his eyes, Steve entered the office, closed the door behind him, and leaned back against it.

 

“Out with it, Williams,” he said crossing his arms and grinning.

 

“Forget it, Steve,” Danny finally spoke, moving to stand, “Come on, you said Kono--.”

 

“Danny…,” Steve said still grinning, “You’re gonna give yourself an aneurysm. What’s goin’ on?” Danny looked down at his desk, snorting ruefully. “Hi, pot, I’m kettle,” he said, “You know, you could give a graduate-level seminar on how to keep your thoughts to yourself.”

 

“I’d blame the SEALs, but I think that excuse wore out about 11 months ago,” Steve said shrugging. Danny chuckled as he fully stood. “Oh, yeah. Besides, I’m pretty sure you were born this way, Steven,” he said moving from around his desk. Steve, though, didn’t move to leave.

 

“Let it go, Steve…, please,” the blonde said quietly, “It’s not a big deal, and it’s nothin’ to do with work.”

 

“No,” the taller man said succinctly, this time crossing his ankles as he leaned even more against Danny’s only means of escape, “Just ‘cause it has nothin’ to do with work doesn’t mean it won’t affect work.”

 

Danny groaned and leaned back against his desk, gripping the edge as his heart seemed to lodge itself in his stomach. If only Steve knew how ominous his words sounded to Danny, as much as he’d struggled the past few months to hide his growing attraction. So many ways this could go wrong if he even dared to make a move further than the lingering touches, the playful glances, the teasing banter.

 

Hell, he and Steve were just now reaching a point where they could go longer than an hour without sniping at each other at work, and they’d even started hanging out on the weekends away from the team. Mostly takeout and beers and whatever sports game was on TV at Steve’s place, but still… Danny was actually starting to think of the other man as something akin to a friend. He had very few of those on this cursed island, and he refused to risk losing even a half-friend over something as simple as a crush.

 

“I’m trained to withstand a lot, Danno, even the silent treatment from stubborn bastards like you,” Steve said quietly, his grin fading, “What’s up?” For all the digs Danny had thrown at him regarding his facial expressions since the Five-0 Task Force had been formed just over a year ago, it hadn’t taken the brunette long at all to read Danny’s faces as well.

 

“Fine!” Danny suddenly snapped, throwing his hands up in resignation, “Rachel called and said Stan wants to take me out to dinner this weekend at some upscale place that I couldn’t afford in a month, let me get to know him since he’s pretty much Grace’s stand-in dad – ‘cause that wasn’t a low blow she added in, nope, not at all – and she pretty much shamed me into bringing somebody. Said I’ve been here for damn near a year and a half, so surely I’ve met someone by now to at least bring to dinner, and some bullshit about seein’ me happy. But I don’t know anybody on this godforsaken island because you and this job take up approximately 95% of my time, and most of the other 5% goes to Gracie! So kindly fuck off and leave me to wallow in peace, so I can figure out how to cancel without lookin’ like a broke asshole, or let me get to work!”

 

Danny’s chest heaved once he finished ranting, and Steve almost moved over to make him drop his head between his legs to keep the blonde from hyperventilating. Then Danny’s dilemma registered, and he struggled to keep his face as neutral as possible. “I clean up alright sometimes, I’ve been told,” he said shrugging casually.

 

Danny swore his whole brain short-circuited in that moment. “Wait, what?” he finally managed to choke out, and he knew his cheeks were tomato red. Steve cleared his throat and finally pushed off the door, shoving his hands in his pockets. “You need a date, I’m never one to turn down a free meal,” he said plainly, his body the very picture of casual. If he played his cards right…

 

“ _You_ wanna be my plus-one?” Danny asked incredulously, because no way in hell could Steve have picked up on every single clue he’d been practically shoving in his face the past few months. Not his SuperSEAL, not Grade-A, Straight-As-An-Arrow, Pure American Hero Steve McGarrett. Steve’s left eye just barely twitched, but Danny saw it, and wow, he felt like the total asshole he’d just called himself. “Nevermind, then. Just tryin’ to help,” Steve said shrugging once more, “Come on, we’ve kept Kono waitin’ long enough.”

 

Danny groaned once more once Steve had left, the door easing closed behind him. Talk about fumbling the ball at the 1-yard line. Steve had been doing marginally better about acting like an actual human being (and by that, Danny meant he’d actually paused for half a second before storming into a gunfight just last week), but he was still pretty much a walled-off robot emotionally speaking. The fact that Danny had even picked up on the eye twitch was a testament to just how hurt the brunette had been, as if he wasn’t good enough for Danny to even _pretend_ to take on a dinner date.

 

“Fuck my whole life right now,” the blonde snapped finally pushing off his desk. He didn’t have the first clue as to how to fix whatever had just broken between him and Steve, if there was even anything to fix, and he was still desperately in need of a plus-one for this damned dinner.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I feel like I should add BxBori1981 as a co-creator for as much as I get her advice on things XD

Steve stretched out on his couch early Friday night, a small tumbler of his good Scotch within reach and a new book in his hand. It had been a long-ass week, filled with at least two car chases, a stiff fight with a suspect resisting arrest, and lengthy meetings with the governor regarding the team’s ability to run through a year’s worth of ammunition in just the past month.

 

With a heavy sigh, Steve took a sip from the glass, savoring the rich taste and slight burn as he swallowed the dark brown liquid. He thumbed to the last page he’d left off in the latest social psychology book an old SEAL buddy had sent him after Steve had told him about the task force and what they’d accomplished just over the past few months. His teammate knew how much Steve had loved to learn about the human mind and how society as a whole affected it; it helped in understanding how to be a better SEAL, and even more when he’d transferred over to Naval Intelligence.

 

The front door swung open, and Danny trounced in before Steve could even get up off the couch, a six-pack of Longboards in one hand and a brown paper bag filled with what smelled like Chinese food in the other. “One o’ these days, you’re gonna get shot comin’ in here like that,” he grumbled, eyeing him over the rim of his book, not bothering to put it away.

 

“ _The Lucifer Effect: Understanding How Good People Turn Evil_. Wow, babe…, I’m officially impressed,” Danny said eyeing the cover of the book, kicking the door shut behind him. Steve took a slow breath at the endearment his coworker casually threw around like it was just another word. “What do you want, Daniel? Other than trespassing?” he asked snarkily.

 

“Trespassing would imply that I wasn’t wanted here. And since I tend to supply the food and drink, you obviously don’t object to my presence. Ergo, I am not trespassing, Steven,” Danny said heading for the kitchen. Steve sighed once more as he listened to Danny moving through the kitchen, as though he belonged there. Given how many times he’d been there over the past six months, even just to share a beer after a long day, Steve knew he didn’t need any help in finding anything.

 

“I really hope you’re hungry, babe, ‘cause there’s more than enough for both of us,” Danny called from the kitchen. “Not hungry, Danno,” Steve answered back, trying to focus on the book in his hands. He heard Danny sigh somewhat exasperatedly, even from the kitchen, and he couldn’t help but smirk. Danny was of the strong belief that his boss didn’t eat nearly enough as he should, despite the fact that Steve worked out pretty rigorously every morning. He couldn’t maintain the level of fitness he was used to if he didn’t eat enough, but he also knew that Danny had the biggest overprotective streak he’d ever seen aside from…

 

Steve jerked slightly when a plate dropped on the table at his side. “Eat, Steven,” Danny said dropping down in the recliner, an open Longboard in one hand and a plate in the other. “I eat way more often than you think I do, Daniel,” Steve countered, “Besides, it’s late, and I don’t like to eat this heavy this close to my bedtime.”

 

“That’s the bullshit line you’re tryin’ to sell me, babe?” Danny asked with a chuckle, “I’ve been here way later than this on a Friday night, and you’re usually munching on somethin’ unhealthy. What’s a little egg fu yung gonna hurt?” Steve eyed the plate at his side, then Danny for a long moment.

 

“What do you want, Danny?” he asked finally, his jaw twitching in mild annoyance for reasons he refused to even think about. It was the reason he had been planning to lose himself in this book for a few hours before going to bed a little early. Danny, though, was determined to not only undermine his authority at work, but his authority in his own home.

 

 “I just… I mean, it’s Friday night, and I don’t have Gracie this weekend, so…,” Danny said, practically stumbling to a halt at the look in Steve’s eyes. The brunette hadn’t looked at him so harshly since the first day they’d met. He’d been genuinely hurt by Danny’s caustic words, and it was just now starting to really show. It was like the past year of their partnership hadn’t happened, and they were right back to square one.

 

Taking a deep breath, the blonde dropped his eyes to the bottle in his hand, picking haphazardly at the label as he quietly spoke, “I’m sorry, Steve. I was a dick, I know that, and I shoulda said this sooner. So…I’m sorry, man, honestly I am. Rachel always kinda…drives me crazy, and all that shit she said about me, I took it out on you and I didn’t mean to. That wasn’t what I meant Tuesday, I hope you know that.”

 

Steve didn’t move to sit up, or even acknowledge that he’d heard Danny, and it unnerved the shorter man at how still his coworker was. His face didn’t give away a thing, and Danny would’ve bet money that was _definitely_ the fault of the U.S. Navy SEALs.

 

“Look, you…you obviously had plans tonight. Sorry to interrupt,” Danny said placing his still-full beer bottle on the table, “I’ll leave the food in case you get hungry tonight or…this weekend or whatever. And I’ll try to remember to knock next time.” As he finally stood, Steve slowly laid his book down on the table. He’d get back to it at some point this weekend, if he managed to avoid being thrown a case by HPD or the governor.

 

“I think there’s some…basketball on tonight…, if you wanted to stay,” he said quietly, sitting up and turning on the television to ESPN. Danny hesitated to move, and Steve couldn’t help the smirk that came to his face. “Like you said… You got the food and drink, at the very least I can turn the game on,” he said scooting over to make room for the blonde on the couch.

 

Danny slowly eased down on the couch, practically tucked up against the side to keep a fair distance between him and Steve. He had no idea what Steve was up to, and he actually wanted to be able to get to the door fast enough if this was a ploy for Steve to get him within striking distance. “Jeez, if I was gonna punch you, Danny, I’d have done it 13 months ago,” Steve said chuckling at the way Danny eyed his hands warily, “Besides, there’s at least 15 other things I could do to hurt you at this distance, none of which is a strike to the face.”

 

“You are certifiable, McGarrett,” Danny snapped out, though the shaky smile on his face belied any anger. “Actually, I passed my last psych eval perfectly. I can get the records from Pearl if you really want them,” Steve said, a more genuine grin on his face, “I had to get it done before my last two-week stint with the Reserves.” Danny relaxed a little more as they turned their attention to an NBA tournament game showing out of Los Angeles, the tension from the past few days melting away over dinner and drinks and genuine camaraderie.

 

As the game wore on, though, Steve found himself less and less interested. “Go back to the damn book already, Steven,” Danny grumbled with a grin, leaning forward and planting his empty beer bottle solidly on the coffee table, “You don’t have to entertain me, ya know. I am perfectly content watching this game by myself.”  “It’s not polite,” Steve said quietly.

 

Danny smirked and picked up the book, reading the summary while scratching at the stubble on his jaw. “This actually sounds really good. Where’d you get it?” he asked looking over to Steve. The brunette’s cheeks tinted the lightest shade of pink, and he kept his eyes on his clenched hands. He took a slow breath before answering, “Old SEAL teammate I served with before I came back to Oahu… He sends me stuff like that every few months.”

 

“That’s cool, babe,” Danny said flipping through the pages, grinning at the scratchy mess that was Steve’s handwriting in the margins. Highlighted phrases, notes and interpretations written in shorthand, even apparent questions about additional sources of information. He had a great mind for cop work, and Danny used to just attribute that to his time with the SEALS. If possible, the blonde felt himself falling even harder for his friend. Clearing his throat, he casually held the book out in Steve’s direction.

 

Steve hesitantly took it from him, watching Danny as the man’s eyes focused back on the game. When there was no snarky comment or teasing laugh forthcoming, Steve’s lips twitched upwards. He pulled his feet up on to the couch, opening the book back up and resting it against his knees.

 

By the time the game was actually over, Danny was pleasantly buzzed and half-asleep. Steve called a cab to meet him at Danny’s apartment as he efficiently cleaned up their used dishes and dumped the empty beer bottles. Danny trudged into the kitchen wiping blearily at his eyes just as Steve ended his call. “Come on, buddy, I’ll drive you home,” Steve said steering him back towards the living room.

 

“How are you gonna get home?” Danny asked, failing to stifle a hearty yawn. Steve smirked and grabbed the Camaro’s keys from the stand next to the front door. “I’ll run back. Gotta burn off all that crap you made me eat,” he joked opening the front door and motioning the blonde out. Danny snorted and joked back, “You burned it all off speed-reading through that book o’ yours, I’m sure of it.”

 

It didn’t take Steve long to reach Danny’s apartment, and a yellow taxi cab pulled up just as he dropped Danny’s keys in his hand. “Liar, liar, pants on fire,” Danny said with a lazy smile as his friend headed for the cab, “Hey, McGarrett!” Steve looked back over his shoulder and asked, “Yes, Daniel?”

 

“You really clean up alright?” Danny asked coming over to him, that lazy smile still in place. Steve recognized the smile; it was one of his favorites. Danny’s whole body relaxed with that smile, he didn’t look like he was constantly carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders when he smiled like that. But when he finally registered the question Danny had asked him, his whole face blanched, caught completely off guard.

 

He hesitated long enough for Danny to roll his eyes and add, “Like you said, I need a date and you’re not one to turn down a free meal, especially a fancy one like this. We can fake it for one night.”

 

“Yeah… Yeah, I clean up okay, Danny,” Steve said quietly, his throat suddenly dry. “Alright, cool. Reservation is at 6:30, so I’ll swing by to get you around 5:00. You know how weekend traffic can be downtown,” Danny said clapping his shoulder before heading back for the apartment. It wasn’t until the cab hit the highway that Steve registered his friend was picking him up, they weren’t just meeting at the restaurant.

 

Fuck…what had he just gotten himself into?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feed my Muse (read:ego) by leaving pretty, pretty comments, please!


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Forever shouting out BxBori1981 for being my Danny Beta. This chapter flows the way it does because of her inner Danny.

Danny sat nervously in Steve’s driveway the next evening, feeling a thin sheen of sweat under his pressed white dress shirt trying to soak through the fabric. He’d pretty much backed himself into a corner waiting until the last minute to find a date for dinner tonight, sure, but part of him reveled in the chance to show Steve off like this.

 

Rachel had never judged him for his bisexuality, and he’d stayed loyal to her from their very first date back in New Jersey. He’d had a few blind dates since arriving in Oahu, with both men and women, but Danny knew he had to establish himself solidly within HPD before even considering anything more than a casual date or two, and given how disastrously horrific his divorce had been, the blonde wasn’t exactly diving headfirst into the local dating pool. Then one Lieutenant Commander Steve McGarrett had stormed into his life…

 

“Fuck, you’ve really stepped in it now, Daniel, yes, you have. What the hell were you thinkin’? I mean, seriously, this is so stupid, it’s never gonna work. No way you pull this off without puttin’ your foot in your mouth at least three times. And, man, Rachel is gonna jump all over that shit, ‘cause she’s an evil vindictive bitch, and you’ll never hear the end of it. Fuck, fuck, FUCK!” Danny rambled, hitting the steering wheel repeatedly in frustration.

 

Taking a few deep breaths to try to bring his heart rate (and blood pressure) back down, Danny eyed Steve’s closed front door like it hid both the biggest prize and the greatest curse he’d ever get in his life. “Fuck,” he whispered once more, finally climbing out of the car.

 

He rubbed his sweaty palms on his black suit pants, hoping the moisture would evaporate by the time they reached their destination. His hand was on the doorknob before he even registered that he’d walked up to the door, and the blonde paused, remembering his promise from the night before. Letting out a shaky breath, he lifted his hand and knocked solidly on the thick oak door.

 

It took way too long for Steve to answer, long enough that Danny almost started panicking again. Maybe Steve had changed his mind. Maybe he was out frolicking in the ocean like freaking Aquaman and had lost track of time. Hell, maybe he was so caught up in his book, he’d tuned out--.

 

“Danny, hey, sorry, I’ll be ready in just a minute, I swear,” Steve said hurriedly once he’d opened the door, and Danny barely had time to speak before the other man was bounding up the stairs. “Ya know, I’m kinda shocked, babe. Figured you’d already be out on the porch when I pulled up,” Danny joked before closing the door quietly behind him.

 

“Uh, yeah…, I had a couple errands to run this mornin’, took way longer than I’d hoped they would,” Steve called back. Danny pocketed his keys and slowly sat down on the edge of the recliner, listening to Steve move around upstairs. He tried not to think of all the ways this whole evening could go wrong, any more than he’d come up with already.

 

Steve’s footsteps descending the stairs behind him got his attention, and Danny’s jaw dropped at the sight. His friend had apparently decided to go all out for him. The Navy dress blues uniform clung to Steve’s lithe body in a way Danny had never really paid attention to before, not like he was now. It looked freshly laundered and tailored, as though…

 

“Babe, please don’t tell me you spent the day at the dry cleaners,” Danny said quietly. Steve tried to pull off a nonchalant shrug, but Danny saw the embarrassed guilt in his eyes. “I meant to get it done a while ago anyway,” Steve said slowly removing the jacket and grabbing a hanger he’d left drooped over the banister, “I’m not riding in the car wearing it, it’ll get wrinkled.”

 

Danny smiled slightly and shook his head in amazement. “I owe you for this, Steve,” he said quietly. Steve waved him off as he carefully placed the jacket on the hanger and picked up his cover from the stand next to the door.

 

“No, I mean that,” Danny continued pulling the car keys from his pocket, just to give him something to do with his hands before he ended up throwing caution to the wind before they even got to dinner, “You’re comin’ through for me…like you always do. And the uniform helps.”

 

“It was either this or the BDUs,” Steve said with a small smirk, trying to will his body not to react to Danny’s words. He had to remember this was just a game, just something to get Danny through a dinner he didn’t want to go to in the first place. Danny snorted and said, “I’m sure those look just as good. You ready?”

 

This time, Steve did flush red, but he ducked his head to hide the worst of it. “Yeah, let’s go before you leave a puddle o’ sweat on my floor,” he said jokingly. “This heat is gonna be the death o’ me, I’m tellin’ you,” Danny joked back, opening the door and setting the alarm code as Steve left out.

 

“Did you just--.”

 

“Steven, you keep forgetting what a fine detective I am, and just how often I have to set that alarm when I leave on a Friday or Saturday night. Otherwise, _you_ would never do it,” Danny said pushing gently at his back and closing the door behind them.

 

The ride into downtown Waikiki was unusually quiet. Steve hadn’t objected to Danny driving, had even offered to pay for the valet parking when Danny had pulled into the Royal Hawaiian entryway. “Steve…,” Danny started as they waited in the valet line, letting out a shaky breath. “Danny, if you give yourself a coronary over this, I’ll never let you live it down,” Steve said gently squeezing his forearm, “Just think of it as an undercover op. You’ve done those plenty o’ times.”

 

“Not like this, never anything like this,” Danny said, his laughter tinged with a hint of hysteria.  Steve looked at Danny with a tilt of his head, waiting for him to expand on that thought. Danny finally reached the front of line, put the car in park, and jumped out of the driver’s seat before his mouth got him in serious trouble.

 

Steve sighed and slipped on his cover before slowly climbing from the passenger side, grabbing his jacket from its resting spot on the backseat. He went to pull his wallet from his back pocket, but the valet attendant waved him off. “Military and law enforcement park for free, sir,” the young island native woman said genially, “Thank you for your service, and enjoy your stay at the Royal Hawaiian.” Before Steve could say he was only there for dinner, the young lady was in the Camaro and pulling away.

 

Danny paced anxiously in front of the Azure Restaurant entry doors, trying to will himself to even walk inside when Steve walked up, a fond grin on his face. “Danno, please…,” he said stopping the blonde with a gentle grip on his upper arm, “Do you trust me, buddy?”

 

“Of course I do, Steven, don’t ask stupid questions,” Danny snapped yanking his arm away and resuming his pacing. Steve closed his eyes and took a calming breath. He understood Danny’s nervousness, he truly did, but this was guaranteed to be a disaster if he couldn’t get his friend focused. He pulled a small black handkerchief from his pocket and stepped in front of Danny, stopping the man’s pacing once more.

 

“Be still, Daniel,” he said lowly, squeezing his shoulder just tight enough to ground him, “Be still and listen, damn it.” The brunette’s free hand moved to dab at the sweatdrops on Danny’s forehead, and Danny let out a shuddering breath.

 

“I call you my backup all the time, Danno, so please trust me to be your backup tonight, okay?” Steve continued in that low voice, “I wouldn’t have offered to come if I didn’t think we – _you_ – could pull this off, alright?”

 

Danny smirked and shook his head in wonder. “And why are you so confident about this?” he asked, his hands gently resting on Steve’s waist of their own accord. If their closeness bothered Steve, the taller man didn’t let it show.

 

Steve returned the handkerchief to his pocket before shrugging slightly. “I don’t think you know how to fail, Danno,” he said softly, “It’s not an option for you. You… You’d have made one helluva SEAL, buddy.” A slow smile spread across Danny’s face and he carefully squeezed Steve’s hips in appreciation of such a compliment.

 

“Shall we, babe?” he asked holding up his right hand. Steve grinned sheepishly (and that was a face Danny wanted to see more of, pretend dinner date be damned) and carefully placed his left hand in Danny’s open palm. Their fingers linked together naturally, and the two men headed inside one of Honolulu’s most popular hotel restaurants with a little more confidence.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Chapter 4 is in the works in my head, I promise, but comments may help inspire the Muse to bring it to actual life. :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yet another chapter that wouldn't flow like it does without my Danny Beta, my very own Danno, BxBori1981.

Rachel’s jaw practically hit the floor when she spotted her ex-husband and his “date” enter the brightly lit restaurant lobby, and Danny couldn’t help the knowing smirk that came to his face. He would trade every single penny in his measly savings account to keep that look permanently branded in his memory. “Rachel,” he greeted her politely, his smirk spreading into a full-blown smile as she struggled to respond.

 

“Um…, Commander McGarrett, it’s…it’s lovely to see you again,” Rachel said glancing between the two men, her brows furrowing deeply when she spotted their clasped hands. “Mrs. Edwards,” Steve said grinning as well and extending his free hand, “We appreciate the invitation.” Rachel swallowed nervously and grasped his hand in a quick but loose shake before almost snatching away as Stan walked up.

 

“Should be just a minute, honey. Danny…,” Stan spoke, trailing off as he, too, noticed who accompanied his wife’s ex-husband, “Um…, Commander McGarrett?”

 

Danny couldn’t help but think this was the best decision he’d ever made, snorting at the pure shock on Stan’s face. Rachel thought she’d be able to spend the night having fun at his expense, but as Steve’s hand tightened around his somewhat protectively, he knew that (at least for now) he and Steve had the upper hand.

 

“Mr. Edwards, good to see you again, sir,” Steve said finally removing his cover, “Thanks for the dinner invitation. I’ve been tryin’ to convince Danny to try Azure out for a while.” Rachel cleared her throat roughly and coughed quite unladylike.

 

Danny honestly tried to cover his laugh, he did. Steve looked down at him with that damned fond smirk, his blue eyes bright with his own humor. “Edwards, party of four,” called a maître d’ from behind them. “Shall we?” Rachel rushed out turning around in a blur and getting the young man’s attention with a single raised finger.

 

“Um, I’ve, uh, I’ve heard Azure has some of the freshest seafood on the island,” Stan spoke slowly, trying to keep his eyes away from the two men’s interlocked hands, “Have you…have you been here before?”

 

Steve turned back to him and shook his head. “Tryin’ to convince Danno here there’s more to life than Italian has been a lengthy campaign, Stan,” he said chuckling, “But when he told me about the invitation, I had to jump on it just to get him to try sashimi for the first time.”

 

Danny let out a sarcastic laugh and said, “Steven, I agreed to eat seafood. I didn’t agree to eat _raw_ seafood,” he said. It seemed Steve had quite the game plan laid out for their interactions; he could only fall in line, knowing Steve’s ability to think on his feet rivaled his own.

 

Steve sighed and looked down at him, casually stroking his thumb across Danny’s skin as he asked, “Would I ever make you do anything you don’t wanna do, Daniel?” Danny’s cheeks tinted a pale red at the intense look in the brunette’s eyes, and Steve’s breath caught in his throat. Rachel cleared her throat and threw over her shoulder, “If you’re ready, gentlemen…”

 

Danny finally looked back to her and Stan and said, “After you.” Rachel’s jaw twitched in mild annoyance and she placed a hand around Stan’s elbow, motioning to the maître d’ to lead them to their table. Danny smirked and removed his hand from Steve’s grip, only to place his hand on the taller man’s lower back. “This okay?” he whispered.

 

“Yes,” Steve breathed back, trying to remember what it meant to take a deep breath. Feeling Danny’s skin against his, even just from holding hands, had been better than anything he’d felt in a long time. Their witty banter, the way Danny’s pupils had expanded at Steve’s last question, the SEAL felt like he couldn’t make his lungs work properly now for the life of him. This was just a game, he absolutely could not forget that fact. Anything else was one risk Steve couldn’t afford to take.

 

They were shown to a small table on the covered restaurant patio which gave them a perfect view of the setting sun over the ocean. Steve went to slip his jacket off, but Danny grasped at the sleeves from behind. “Let me, babe,” he said softly, sliding the sleeves down Steve’s arms carefully, “Don’t wanna get it wrinkled, remember?”

 

Danny knew how Steve felt about being confined in social settings, so he placed the jacket on the back of the chair closest to them, so the blonde would be next to the railing and his “date” had an escape route. He pulled the chair out before finally looking up at Steve.

 

“Thanks, Danno,” Steve whispered. He knew exactly why Danny had chosen the inside seat, but then the blonde had had to go and actually pull out his chair. That sheepish grin returned to his face, and oh yeah, that was a face Danny could definitely get addicted to causing.

 

“So…how long has this been a thing, Daniel?” Rachel asked once the two men were seated. “A thing, Rachel? Seriously?” Danny asked tensely. “Just a question,” she asked flipping open the menu in front of her.

 

“We’re comin’ up on six months as a couple, Rachel, if that’s what you’re asking,” Steve said casually. “Oh…, well…, you never said anything, Daniel,” she said, her eyes still on her menu, but Steve could see the pink blush staining her cheeks. His jaw tensed at the judgment in her posture; she was remarried, so why should it matter who Danny dated, let alone if he chose to date men. Steve would never – _could_ never – begin to judge him for that, and he hated that Rachel even thought she had the right.

 

“Well, we’re certainly glad you could make it tonight, Commander,” Stan spoke up, trying to allay some of the tension, “I know, um…, Five-0 stays pretty busy.” Steve gave a small nod and said, “Yeah, we do. But, ya know, we try and take breaks when the opportunities present themselves. Like I said, we appreciate the invitation.”

 

Stan seemed like a nice guy, he’d just gotten caught up in the drama that was Rachel and Danny. Steve couldn’t fault the guy for at least trying to build a bridge between himself and Danny, considering the time he spent with and around Grace.

 

Rachel snorted softly and shook her head. “You’re the boss, Commander. I’m sure you and Danny “take breaks” whenever you feel like it,” she said arching an eyebrow. Stan’s _and_ Danny’s eyes shot towards her in shock, but Steve spoke up before Danny could, pretty certain the blonde would’ve ended up getting them kicked out before they even had their first drink.

 

“Yeah, Rachel, I am the head of the task force, which means I have a responsibility to keep this island and my team safe against any and all threats,” Steve said simply, “But when I get the chance to take Danny out, especially to a nice place like this, yeah, I jump at it. But that’s less to do with how I run Five-0, and way more to do with how I feel about Danny. It’s extremely possible to keep the two ideas separate.” He locked eyes with Rachel, silently daring her to keep pushing him. For Danny, there were no boundaries he wouldn’t cross tonight to protect him.

 

“Good evening, my name is Ahi, I’ll be your server tonight. Would you like to place a drink order to start your evening?” a young man spoke politely from next to Steve. “Longboard okay?” Steve asked Danny. “Yeah, sure, babe,” Danny said quietly, finally eyeing the menu in front of him. He wasn’t a picky eater at all, but some of this stuff, he’d never heard of.

 

“I was kidding about the sashimi, Danny,” Steve said chuckling at the tense look on his friend’s face. Steve knew Rachel’s digs had gotten under his skin already, and he hoped to bring back that lazy smile he’d seen the night before. “No, it, uh…, it actually sounds alright. I mean, why not,” Danny said grinning up at him. Steve smiled a little more fully, seeing the tension ease out of the other man’s shoulders.

 

Once their drinks arrived and their dinner orders were placed, Stan and Danny began to relax as the topic of conversation turned to Grace. “She’s really a wonderful little girl, Danny. I know I’m gone a lot because of my business, but when we are around each other, she’s just a joy,” Stan said with a genuine smile.

 

“I appreciate that, Stan. I do my best with her, ya know,” Danny said, “She’s a handful sometimes, that’s for sure. But…she’s my Monkey. I’d do anything for her.” Steve watched that lazy smile he’d grown to love so much make its way back onto Danny’s face, and he couldn’t help but let out a content sigh. If anything could make Danny forget he was supposed to be on a “pretend” date, let alone how much he hated being around his ex-wife for longer than 5 minutes, it was talking about his favorite topic, and that was always anything to do with Gracie.

 

The three men spent most of the next two hours going back and forth about Grace, how she’d acclimated to Oahu, her growing circle of friends, any issues she’d brought up to Danny that the blonde felt Stan should be aware of that might impact their growing relationship. Truly there was no higher priority in Danny’s life than protecting his Grace, making sure the island that had become her home was as safe as he could make it, that she had everything he could reasonably provide for her, and above all, that she knew just how much he loved her.

 

As the server finally took their dessert dishes away, dropping off a third Longboard for Steve and Danny, as well as a glass of wine for Stan and Rachel, Steve relaxed back into his chair and rested his arm along the back of Danny’s chair, his fingers casually stroking over the blonde’s far shoulder. They’d done that throughout dinner, exchanging lingering gazes, sharing touches both over and under the table, laughing at the littlest things. It had been one of the best nights Steve had had in a long time, and he knew his friend had enjoyed himself just as well.

 

“Does she know?” Rachel asked suddenly, a scowl marring her usually beatific features, “About this?” Danny tensed up at the indignation and judgment in her voice, and Steve immediately moved his hand to Danny’s thigh. Danny took a deep breath and answered, “No, Rachel, she doesn’t. We’re still--.”

 

“Six months together and you haven’t told our 9-year-old daughter you’re dating your boss?” Rachel said snidely, “Do you take me for a fool, Daniel?” Danny snorted and said, “You don’t want me to answer that, Rachel.”

 

“Rachel, please. Danny and Steve were kind enough to make room in their schedules to come to dinner tonight, because Grace is the top priority, for all of us,” Stan spoke with a sigh.

 

“And it’s not like Danny hasn’t wanted to tell her. _I_ asked him not to,” Steve added tensely. He’d lost count of how many times he’d deflected Rachel’s questions tonight, and his brain was actually starting to wear down.

 

“So _you_ made the decision to lie to my daughter about this? As dangerous as your job is, as much as she’s already been through moving across the country and going through my divorce, you decided it was best for her to _not_ know that her father is in a serious relationship with a _man_?” Rachel snapped at him.

 

“What’s your actual problem with this, Rachel?” Danny snapped back, motioning between himself and Steve, “That I’m in a relationship with a man, or that I’m in a relationship with Steve? Because you knew about me, about _all_ of me, from day one.”

 

“My _actual problem_ , as you so eloquently put it, Daniel, is the idea that my daughter has spent who knows how much time with the two of you, and she thinks of _him_ ,” Rachel said gesturing towards Steve, her voice filled with disdain, “As nothing more than an island uncle, and you’re lying to her about something as big as the two of you “dating”. She’s being raised to higher standards than that, and you bloody well know she is. On top of it all, six months in, and you’re still not sure it’s serious? I’m not that daft. Either it’s more serious than you want to admit, or you’re just…what’s the crude phrase you Americans love so much? Oh…. Fuck buddies.”

 

Stan slammed his hand down on the table and glared at his wife. “That’s enough, Rachel, and I mean it. We’ve spent the better part of two hours here, and I’ve had it. If it’s not clear to you that Steve and Danny are in a damn stable, solid relationship, and Grace is still their top priority, it’s because you don’t want to see it,” he said angrily, “Hell, I’m as shocked as you are about this, but their relationship is none of our business. Grace’s well-being is, and as far as I can tell, she’s just as important to Danny as she’s ever been, if not more now that he’s settled and putting down solid roots on this island.”

 

Rachel’s cheeks flushed red at the admonition, and Danny let out a slow breath. “Stan, thank you for dinner. But I think it’s best if Steve and I get outta here now,” he said pushing away from the table. Stan nodded and stood, extending his hand over the table. “Thanks for coming out tonight, Danny, Commander,” he said respectfully.

 

Danny slowly stood as well and shook his hand solidly. “Appreciate the invitation, Stan. Let’s, uh, maybe never do this again, okay?” he said with a grin as Steve stood beside him. Stan smirked and said, “Sure thing, Danny.” Danny carefully removed Steve’s jacket from the back of his chair and helped him into it, even taking care to button it up for him.

 

“Thanks, Danno,” Steve whispered, seeing the tension in the blonde’s light blue eyes. “Sure thing, babe,” Danny whispered as Steve finally moved into the aisle, his gaze moving to Rachel, “I have Grace next weekend. Please make sure she’s ready when I get there. I’d like to not have to cut into the measly 48 hours I have with her anymore than I have to.”

 

Rachel went to speak, but Stan said, “She’ll be ready, Danny. You have my word.” Rachel merely picked up her wine glass, her jaw tight and lips pinched in a stiff frown. Steve took Danny’s left hand and urged him away from the table before anymore barbs could be thrown, by either Rachel or Danny. It wasn’t until they were back in the Camaro, and already halfway back to Steve’s, that Danny’s filter finally broke.

 

“The fucking nerve of that bitch, to sit there and treat me, treat _you_ , like fuckin’ dirt on her overpriced stilettos. Because heaven forbid I’m actually happy, actually in a stable relationship for the first time in over a decade, heaven forbid I actually have somebody in my life I enjoy spending time with, somebody my daughter enjoys spending time with, heaven _forbid_ that somebody be a man!” Danny yelled as he sped through traffic with an intensity Steve usually only thought reserved for chasing a suspect, “The sheer unmitigated gall of her to sit there and judge me, judge _me_ , for daring to actually try to make a home for myself on this goddamned island!”

 

Steve knew Danny could go on for hours, especially with the way his right hand had started cutting through the space between them. With a soft sigh, he quickly grabbed the flailing limb with his left hand, linked their fingers together, and rested his right hand atop them.

 

Danny stopped mid-sentence and glanced over at the brunette, caught somewhere between shock and fondness. Steve didn’t say a word, just kept his grip on Danny’s hand, absentmindedly stroking the skin as he gazed out the window. “Babe…?” Danny asked softly.

 

Steve gave a soft hum of acknowledgement, his eyes moving over to Danny’s face. “We, um…. The date’s over, ya know. We don’t have to, uh, to do this anymore,” Danny said quietly. Steve swallowed slowly as he looked down at their clasped hands. He schooled his features and released Danny’s hand, turning his gaze back to the passing scenery.

 

Danny recognized that look immediately. It was the same look Steve had had when Danny had practically laughed in his face for suggesting they go to dinner together. _No fuckin’ way_ , the blonde thought incredulously, _Christ, Williams, you really are an idiot. I mean, seriously, some detective you are._

 

The rest of the ride was made in silence, and Steve was halfway out of the car before Danny had jerked the Camaro into park in his driveway. “Steve, wait!” Danny called hurrying out of his seat, leaning on the roof of the car, “Hey, hold up!”

 

Steve stopped as he reached the porch, taking a deep breath before facing the blonde. “Yeah, Danno?” he asked nonchalantly. Danny smirked and said, “We didn’t get to finish our Longboards at Azure, and I’m pretty sure you still have most o’ that case I brought over last night. I’ll even leave you alone to your book, if you want. I just kinda wanna forget everything she said tonight, ya know.”

 

Steve went to argue against it – he needed time to decompress from this whole night, get his mask back into place to where Danny couldn’t see through it so easily – when he finally registered the smirk. “I guess it is kinda early,” he said turning his cover over in his hand before finally opening the door and heading inside, “I can hang for a beer or two, I guess.”

 

Danny nodded in agreement and hurried to catch up to him. He had an inkling he and his SuperSEAL were going to share a lot more than a nightcap before the night was over.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> One again, the inklings of Chapter 5 are on the periphery of my mind. Comments and Kudos will help get my Muse on track instead of way off into left field where she likes to play around when I'm not looking! XD


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Once again, I owe the flow of this chapter to my precious Danny Beta, BxBori1981. She is my twisted sister, and I'm so grateful for her influence. :)

Danny slipped his jacket off once inside Steve’s house, watching the other man disappear into the kitchen. He plopped down on the couch and reached up to loosen his tie, letting the cool air of the house wash over him as he relaxed into the cushions. He ran his hands over his face and let out a tired groan. It wasn’t even 9 p.m., and he just wanted to sleep the next 12 hours away.

 

“Here, buddy,” Steve said moments later, holding out an open Longboard bottle. “What a clusterfuck of a night, Steven,” Danny said quietly, taking the bottle and gulping down half the contents in moments. Steve cleared his throat and undid the buttons on his uniform jacket before plopping down to Danny’s right.

 

“Food was good, at least,” he said resting back against the cushions as well, his eyes drifting closed. “Yeah…. Good call on the sashimi,” Danny responded turning the half-empty bottle in his hands. “Mmm. Haven’t had sashimi that good in a while,” Steve murmured sipping from his bottle. Neither man moved to turn the TV on, merely enjoying the quiet after a tumultuous few hours.

 

“Steve?” Danny asked when the silence had stretched out between them long enough for his mind to decide it was best to start nitpicking every little thing about their interactions at dinner. Steve sighed softly, recognizing the tone in which Danny said his name. He could either deflect whatever questions Danny threw his way, or… Screw it. He was too mentally exhausted. He took another sip of his beer before asking, “Yeah, Danno?”

 

“Why six months?” Danny asked quietly, his eyes sweeping over Steve’s hands, which had clenched around his beer bottle. “Six months what?” Steve asked softly. Danny smirked ruefully and slowly faced him, letting his gaze linger on the open uniform jacket.

 

The dark blue color looked almost black in the dim living room light, but the rows of awards Steve had earned throughout his time in the military and the golden Navy SEAL trident pin seemed to gleam a little more than usual. Steve was the proudest man Danny had probably ever met in his life; he took honest-to-God joy in the fact that he was a distinguished and highly decorated SEAL, even if he was only in the Reserves now due to his role at Five-0. Danny’s eyes were slowly drawn to the pulse point in Steve’s neck; the blonde felt like he could physically see Steve’s heart rate suddenly skyrocketing.

 

“Why’d you say we’d…. Why six months, Steven?” he asked softly. Steve’s jaw clenched, his nostrils flaring as he huffed out a breath. His cheeks flushed red and he actually started trembling as he struggled to keep as much of that mask of indifference up as he could. “Hey, easy, babe. It’s no big deal,” Danny said reaching forward and resting a hand on the brunette’s forearm, “Night’s over, remember? Just us here.”

 

Steve let out a shaky breath and took another sip of beer, taking as long as he could to swallow the cool liquid before peeking over to his friend. “The petroglyphs, Danny,” he said quietly, “That…. The petroglyphs, okay?” Letting his eyes close, he waited for his words to make sense to Danny, and for Danny to openly mock him, just like he had earlier that week.

 

When the silence continued to stretch out between them, the SEAL found the task of simply breathing becoming more and more daunting. But for the life of him, he couldn’t will himself to open his eyes, to see that mocking smirk on Danny’s face that he just  _knew_  would be there, couldn’t take that kind of rejection, not from Danny.

 

The sound of a bottle hitting the coffee table vaguely registered in his ears, but it was Danny’s hand sliding up from his forearm to his neck that made his eyes shoot open. “That long, Steven?” Danny asked softly, a combination of hope and desperate want and complete terror shining from his eyes. Steve nodded hesitantly, because the judgment and mockery he’d expected were absent, and he didn’t exactly know what the rules were anymore.

 

“Longer than that, Danno, way longer, but…the petroglyphs…taking you up there…,” he said slowly, his eyes dropping to the blonde’s mouth because, fuck it, the rules had obviously been thrown out the window as soon as he’d suggested going as his friend’s date tonight. Danny’s breath hitched as Steve’s right hand wrapped around his forearm. When the brunette let his guard down, really let his guard down? Danny wasn’t prepared for how truly expressive Steve’s face could be when that happened.

 

“Oh, babe…,” Danny whispered, “God, I’ve gotta be the most clueless idiot this side o’ the Pacific.”  Steve lips tilted up, but he countered, “Not exactly like you were all that upfront with me, either, Danno. Are you…are you really….”  Danny’s own mouth turned upwards and he nodded at his friend’s unasked question.

 

“Figured it out pretty early on in life, but…bein’ an Italian Catholic in the Northeast wasn’t exactly conducive to exploring,” he answered, “Rachel was the longest relationship I ever had, and that didn’t go the way I thought it would. Once I finally made it out here, my only real concern was doin’ my job at HPD and bein’ there for Gracie. Then this…this guy shows up in the middle of my crime scene, decides he’s gonna take over my whole life, and I don’t really have a say in it.”

 

“You coulda said no,” Steve said grinning. Danny snorted and said, “Pretty sure your exact words were something about jurisdiction and that you were  _making_  me your partner. “No” was never an option. Besides, it’s not exactly like I was shootin’ through the ranks at HPD.”

 

“So you really just wanted the promotion, huh?” Steve asked letting his hand drop back to his lap. “God, no, Steve, no, that’s not what I meant, Jesus. Will you just…,” Danny said sighing and letting his own hand drop from the brunette’s neck. Steve swallowed thickly and looked away, snorting derisively. “It’s okay, Danny…really. Look, maybe you should just head on home,” he said quietly.

 

“Okay, I take it back.  _You_  are the most clueless idiot this side o’ the Pacific,” Danny said rolling his eyes. Before Steve could react, the blonde had grabbed his face with both hands, and then his lips were on Steve’s. Steve’s lips were soft, warm against Danny’s own, and his breaths came as quick, hot puffs against Danny’s cheek, but he felt stiff as a statue under the blonde’s hands.

 

“Fuck…,” Danny whispered pulling away and seeing Steve’s tightly clenched eyes, “Fuck, fuck, fuck. Okay, yeah, I’m gonna…I’m gonna go home now and maybe drown myself in whiskey and tequila and every other liquor I can get my hands on between here and there and… Fuck.” Steve’s eyes finally peeled opened, his hands eased up to find purchase in Danny’s shirt, and then he was pulling Danny forward until their lips met again.

 

“Danny…,” Steve murmured against his mouth, his hands drifting up to cup the blonde’s jaw, “Danny, Danny, Danny…” Danny smirked and whispered, “Right here, babe.” Steve groaned and pulled him back in, nibbling at his lips before deepening the kiss just as Danny pressed gently against his chest.

 

“Can we…maybe, um, maybe talk a little first?” Danny gasped against his mouth. He felt like his heart was trying to beat its way out of his chest, and his skin itched with a desire he hadn’t felt in…ever. He wanted Steve with a true carnal  _need_ , but he also needed to know if this would be more than just a one-night deal. Danny couldn’t bring himself to settle for just one night, not with Steve.

 

“Yes,” Steve whispered mouthing at his jaw, his hands moving back down and around Danny’s back, trying to pull him closer. “I can’t…. Steven, I can’t talk with you…,” Danny stumbled when he felt Steve’s tongue darting over his earlobe. He couldn’t help the soft moan that escaped his lips when the brunette latched onto that very lobe.

 

“Yes, Danny,” Steve whispered again, this time nuzzling down the side of his throat, breathing in his scent. God, he needed him with a desperation that was beyond his mind to process. “I didn’t…didn’t ask you anything yet,” Danny said grasping blindly at Steve’s jacket lapels. Steve smirked against his neck and whispered, “Doesn’t matter. Yes to everything, Daniel.”

 

Danny pulled back fully then, needing to look the brunette in the eyes. Steve’s grin faltered at the movement, and he instinctively pulled his hands away. Danny, though, quickly grabbed his hands to keep them from clenching up.

 

“Before that Neanderthal brain o’ yours jumps off the ledge, listen to me for just a minute, okay?” he said grinning. Steve’s hands twitched against his grip, but it was the fear in his eyes that made Danny’s heart clench. God bless him, the man still had no faith in the idea that not everybody would leave him, not everybody would take his heart and trample all over it.

 

“Steven, I want you, okay? I want you more than I’ve wanted anybody in a long… _long_  time. But…I don’t just want you tonight. That’s what I’m tryin’ to tell you here, okay, and if you think you’re scared, I’m fuckin’ terrified right now. Because if we…if we go there, if we let this happen, we take this risk and jump in with both feet, I…I can’t just have it be for tonight. Do you understand that, babe? I’m not sayin’ I’m lookin’ to get hitched, but I can’t…,” Danny hurried out before trailing off, not even sure what he was saying himself.

 

Steve took a deep breath as he looked down at their clasped hands. For the first time since landing back on Oahu, he finally started to feel like he’d come home. Despite the circumstances of their meeting, how he had literally commandeered Danny onto the Five-0 task force, he trusted Danny with everything about him, and he hadn’t felt that level of trust since his time as an active SEAL.

 

“Danny…, yes,” he said quietly, unable to look away from their linked hands, “Okay? Yes. Tonight may have… It may have started as just somethin’ to get you through that dinner, but…as soon as we walked into that place, together, the way we did… Hell, as soon as you asked me to go last night, I wanted it for real. And not just for tonight, either.”

 

Danny couldn’t help the flush that warmed his face, and his hands tightened around Steve’s, finally bringing the man’s gaze up. “Okay, then,” the blonde whispered. That sheepish smile grew on the SEAL’s face, and Danny felt like his heart actually flipped in his chest. “Yeah?” Steve asked softly. Danny nodded with his own sheepish grin and said, “Yeah, babe.”

 

“Thank fuckin’ Christ,” Steve gasped yanking him forward and plastering his lips against Danny’s, biting and licking his way inside as Danny’s arms moved around his neck. “Upstairs?” Danny whispered even as he pressed the taller man back against the couch. “God, yeah,” Steve moaned scrambling from the couch, pulling Danny with him and practically shoving him towards the stairs.

 

“Are you a Neanderthal everywhere, Steven?” Danny asked laughing. He looked over his shoulder and gulped at the primal look in Steve’s eyes. His cock twitched in his pants, and he shuddered as desire hit him once again like a punch to the sternum. “Upstairs, Danny,” Steve said heatedly, starting to pull his shirt from his pants, “Before I fuck you _on_ the stairs.”

 

Danny’s jaw dropped and he took the stairs two at a time, knowing Steve probably would actually try it. Steve was on him, though, before he even hit his bedroom doorway, wrapping an arm around his waist and yanking him back against his body. “Fuck, want you so bad, Danny,” he growled kicking the door shut behind them. “I’m all yours, babe, promise,” Danny responded struggling in his grip, “But what you’re not gonna do is manhandle me, you ape.”

 

Steve chuckled in his ear and released him, shocked when Danny shoved him back against the door and yanked him down into a heated kiss, their tongues dueling as the blonde slowly slid his hands under his open uniform jacket. “You in this goddamn uniform, Steve,” Danny gasped against his mouth, running his hands down Steve’s back, scratching at him even through the shirt, “It should be illegal.”

 

Steve licked his suddenly dry lips as Danny slowly kneeled down in front of him, groaning as the man quickly undid his belt buckle and pants. “Danno…,” he murmured as Danny slowly eased his pants down his legs, his hard cock jutting out from his body. “Fuck…,” Danny gasped staring up at him, “Babe…, you went commando?!”

 

Steve felt his cheeks flush at the desire in the blonde’s eyes, and a shaky grin came to his face. “Even after the tailor, the pants were…a little tight,” he whispered, “Shit!” Danny’s mouth engulfed his cock with no hesitation, and Steve swore he saw stars. His hands clenched at his sides, and he forced himself not to thrust into Danny’s mouth as the blonde expertly brought him dangerously close to the edge within a minute.

 

Danny smiled around Steve’s twitching cock, dragging his teeth with just the slightest of pressure and pulling an unearthly moan from Steve’s throat as he did. He quickly pulled off and stood back up, quickly divesting himself and Steve of their clothes before pulling Steve down onto the bed with him. “Here, come here,” he whispered breathlessly, positioning them until they were facing each other.

 

“Don’t we need--.”

 

Danny smirked before leaning forward and biting his way into Steve’s mouth, wrapping his hand around the brunette’s leaking cock. He spread the precome around the swollen head, then down the thick shaft, gradually increasing the tightness of his grip as their kiss gained momentum.

 

“Christ,” Steve gasped against his mouth, his left hand stroking down the blonde’s back until he reached that plump ass he loved to sneak peeks at whenever he had the chance, “Oh, Danny, baby, yeah!”

 

“You gonna come just from my hand, Steven?” Danny murmured against his lips, catching the bottom one between his teeth. Steve smiled wickedly then, releasing Danny’s ass in favor of wrapping that hand around the blonde’s cock, not surprised to find it slick with precome as well. “You gonna come just from mine, Daniel?” he growled back.

 

“Competitive son of a bitch,” Danny moaned, flushing at the feel of Steve’s gun-calloused hand, “Oh, babe!” Their mouths met once more as they raced to bring each other off. Steve erupted first when Danny’s thumb pressed just under the hood at the same time as he bit down on Steve’s bottom lip.

 

Danny, though, wasn’t far behind, because Steve’s orgasm clenched all of his muscles, including the hand gripping the blonde’s cock. Danny gasped and jerked as he spilled over Steve’s hand, their harsh breaths mingling in the space between them. Steve suddenly went limp in his arms, and Danny shifted up onto his left elbow.

 

“Steven! Steve!” he said worriedly. Steve grumbled and peeked up at him, his eyes bleary despite the grin playing at his lips. “I think you broke me, Daniel,” he whispered. Daniel huffed out a relieved laugh and dropped his head to Steve’s shoulder, dropping a few lazy kisses over the bright green ink adorning the muscle. He was already planning the different ways he was going to map that man’s body out with just his tongue.

 

“Give me a few hours, and I’ll break you again, babe,” he said before moving from the bed. He cleaned himself off efficiently, then came back with another washcloth and towel to find Steve nearly fast asleep. He couldn’t help the grin that came to his face. “Come on, let me clean you up,” he whispered moving to Steve’s side, carefully wiping him clean and then cajoling him under the blanket.

 

“Are you leaving now, Danno?” Steve asked softly, and Danny’s eyes drifted shut at the pain in the SEAL’s voice. He sighed softly as he climbed into the other side of the bed, turning off the small lamp before pulling Steve into his arms, his lips brushing over his temple. “Like I said. You are the most clueless person this side o’ the Pacific, babe,” he whispered.

 

“I believe you called me a clueless idiot,” Steve murmured wrapping his left arm around Danny’s waist, his face buried in the thick hair that covered Danny’s chest. “Yeah…, but you’re my clueless idiot, and I don’t plan on goin’ anywhere anytime soon, okay?” Danny said gently carding his fingers through Steve’s hair. Steve nuzzled against his chest and sighed in relief before finally drifting off into sleep.

 

Feeling the brunette sleep-heavy against him, sated and confident that Danny would be there when he awoke, brought a small grin to Danny’s face. He knew he’d proved himself worthy of Steve’s trust in him as a partner in the field, as his second-in-command at Five-0. He could only hope to now prove himself worthy of Steve’s trust as his significant other. But that was not a hurdle he’d conquer tonight, so he shifted slightly to bring one of the pillows more under his head before finally relaxing into the soft mattress. Sleep came more easily than it had in months.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Let me know what you guys think! I really did have a blast writing a Danny-centric story. Who knows what future will hold!


End file.
